Chapter 18: Visiting the Sick, Gwen's Room
Xi Nian lay in bed all night, eyes open as the darkness outside slowly gave way to the pale light of dawn.
Too much had happened last night, too intense, too overwhelming. The mysteries he encountered in one evening outweighed everything he had ever experienced in his sixteen years of life.
Especially in the bathroom.
When his aunt mentioned the awakening of his power as Master of Affection, she didn't reject it. She didn't even oppose him using such a strange ability. On the contrary, she actively helped him think through the conditions and limits of its use, clearly wanting to test it with him at some point, full of curiosity.
So really, it wasn't that Xi Nian couldn't hold himself back—just that the theory was too tempting. His body responded unconsciously, as if eager to join the discussion.
He wasn't sure whether his aunt noticed while washing the foam from his hair.
All he remembered were her final words in the bathroom.
"Xi Nian, what kind of person do you want to become?"
"This isn't something you need to answer now. When the time is right, I'll give you the chance to choose. Whatever choice you make, I'll stand behind you."
Xi Nian thought about those words all night but couldn't grasp her true meaning.
What choice? What support?
Or rather—he didn't dare to think about it in one direction. His Master of Affection ability could only show true power with the help of extraordinary women. And that "help" required certain… demanding triggers, functioning more like passive skills.
Without a suitable superpowered partner, his ability wasn't something he could use freely.
So when his aunt said she would "support" him, could it mean…
Recalling her suggestion that "liquid could act as a medium, and the more of it, the stronger the effect," Xi Nian felt his body heat up again. That was the real reason he hadn't slept a wink.
Fortunately, his aunt, worried about potential aftereffects of his power, had already reported to his school and given him a day off.
Coincidentally, Xi Nian also learned that Gwen had taken the day off.
The half-hidden face of Spider-Woman from last night flashed in his mind.
After some thought, he suggested, "Gwen caught a cold. After lunch, I'll go check on her."
Diana, of course, knew his childhood friend. She agreed at once. "Good. It's close by anyway."
She glanced around the messy, ruined living room. "Later, I'll have people come and repair this place, bring in new furniture."
"Won't that cause trouble?" Xi Nian asked nervously.
The cracks, craters, and broken furniture in the room made it obvious that this wasn't ordinary wear and tear. If anyone connected it to the attempted robbery across the street last night, they might put two and two together.
"It won't," Diana answered calmly. Dressed in a crisp white blouse and slacks, she radiated elegance. "I still have contacts. I know the right kind of people to handle it."
Relieved, Xi Nian only wondered what kind of "contacts" she was referring to.
After lunch, Xi Nian put on a winter coat and headed to Gwen's place.
It was barely a hundred meters away, just across one street. The community guard recognized him immediately, greeting him warmly while opening the gate. "Haven't seen you in a while, Xi Nian!"
"Yeah, it's been some time," Xi Nian replied with a shrug. As a kid, he came by often. But in recent years, Officer George had guarded against him like he was a thief. Sometimes Xi Nian wondered if he carried a "criminal gene" that set off alarms.
Soon he stood at Gwen's door. Pressing the bell, he suddenly felt a wave of nervousness.
Luckily, his luck seemed to hold. From inside came a gentle woman's voice: "Coming!"
The door opened to reveal a woman around thirty-eight. Though fine lines marked her face, she still carried grace and charm. Her lively features bore a strong resemblance to Gwen.
It was Gwen's mother, Mary Jane.
"Xi Nian, you're here!" Unlike George, Mary was delighted to see him. She immediately pulled him inside. "Quick, it's cold out. Come in!"
"I heard Gwen's sick, so I came to visit," Xi Nian said, changing into house slippers and glancing around.
"Don't worry," Mary said knowingly with a wink. "Her father went out last night and hasn't come back yet."
"…Uh." Xi Nian had no idea how to respond.
Ma'am, that's a dangerous way to put it!
Mary continued, "Gwen woke up with a fever this morning. I gave her some medicine, so she's probably asleep now."
"Then I should go," Xi Nian said, glancing at the closed door to Gwen's room. "I don't want to disturb her rest—"
"Nonsense," Mary interrupted, waving her hand. "You came at the perfect time. Go on, check on her!"
Before he knew it, Mary had led him to Gwen's door. With a meaningful look, she whispered, "Don't worry, the room is soundproof. No one will hear a thing."
"I'm just here to visit," Xi Nian said stiffly, twitching at the corners of his mouth.
"Of course. Just a visit. A deep and thorough visit. Just don't catch her cold." Mary's tone was dripping with innuendo as she pushed him inside and even closed the door for him.
Was this really Gwen's mom? Xi Nian thought wryly, suddenly finding Officer George the more normal parent.
He looked around Gwen's room—it was just as he remembered. Neat and clean, lightly scented, with plenty of stuffed toys. The bookshelf now held more framed photos.
Wait. Most of them were pictures of him and Gwen together, even some he had never seen before.
Xi Nian stared a moment longer, then turned his gaze to the bed.
The blonde girl lay quietly under a snow-white quilt, breathing softly, her cheeks flushed with fever. She looked like a sleeping princess.
Xi Nian stepped closer and whispered, "Gwen? Gwen?"
She didn't stir.
Making sure his hands weren't too cold, he brushed aside her golden bangs and placed his palm on her forehead. A faint heat seeped into his skin—she was definitely burning with a fever.
He withdrew his hand silently. He had come for two reasons: to check on her health, and to confirm whether Gwen had any connection to the Spider-Woman from last night.
Now, it seemed he had been mistaken.
It made sense. How could his childhood friend Gwen possibly be that masked vigilante swinging fearlessly through the city?
Xi Nian shook his head.
But then his gaze fell on her lips—slightly parted, soft and rosy from the fever.
For a moment, he froze.
A thought, dangerous and tempting, surfaced in his mind.
If he really wanted to know whether he was wrong… why not just try?
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